response

American  

[ri-spons] / rɪˈspɒns /

noun

• responses
  plural

1. an answer or reply, as in words or in some action.

   Synonyms:

   rejoinder

2. Biology. any behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus.

3. Ecclesiastical.

   1. a verse, sentence, phrase, or word said or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant.

   2. responsory.

4. Bridge. a bid based on an evaluation of one's hand relative to the previous bid of one's partner.

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response British  

/ rɪˈspɒns /

noun

1. the act of responding; reply or reaction

2. bridge a bid replying to a partner's bid or double

3. (usually plural) Christianity a short sentence or phrase recited or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant at a church service

4. electronics the ratio of the output to the input level, at a particular frequency, of a transmission line or electrical device

5. any pattern of glandular, muscular, or electrical reactions that arises from stimulation of the nervous system

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response Scientific  

/ rĭ-spŏns′ /

1. A reaction, as that of an organism or any of its parts, to a specific stimulus.

2. See more at classical conditioning

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Synonym Usage

See answer.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterresponse
  noun
• responseless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• responses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of response

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin respōnsum, noun use of neuter past participle of respondēre “to reply, answer”; replacing Middle English respounse, from Middle French respons, from Latin, as above; see respond

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Explanation

A response is a reaction to a question, experience, or some other type of stimulus. If you cry at sad movies, you're having an emotional response to the drama that's taking place on the screen. A response can come in many forms, including an answer to a question, an emotional reaction, or a reply. If a teacher asks, "Who invented the phonograph?" She hopes her students will give her the response, "Why, Thomas Edison, of course!" When a parent tells a child not to cross the street when the light is red, he hopes the response will be compliance.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

response responses

The slide deck didn’t detail a crisis response.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

While Jeanie is trying to block her five siblings from selling the team, the new response filed in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

"This deadlock is not new, and it risks costing us valuable time in our response to climate change," the French envoy said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Asked about the cuts at a news conference before Sunday's trip to Nottingham Forest, Arteta initially said "this question is not for me" before offering a brief response.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Clare said, then, without waiting for a response, shut the door.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

“These responses are necessarily assumptions,” observes economist Jeffrey L. Hoopes of the University of North Carolina.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

These cells normally develop into macrophages and other immune cells that protect the body from infections and participate in immune responses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

In English, the models tended to favor more individualistic and analytical responses, while in Chinese, they placed greater emphasis on relationships and broader context.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

He also alleged communication with the company deteriorated after he made his second payment, with responses sometimes taking several days.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

The second group, the people who were acting, showed the same physiological responses, the same heightened heart rate and body temperature, as the first group.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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Related Words

• feedback
• reply
• return

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